Mervyns leaving the state, to cut 880 jobs

Company to shutter 20 stores; shoppers lament closures

Published 10:00 pm, Monday, January 16, 2006

Mervyns LLC said Monday that it will close 20 stores -- including all 13 in Washington -- by next year, affecting more than 1,400 positions, as the struggling retailer aims to improve its profits.

The stores are in Washington, Oregon and Salt Lake City.

In September, the Hayward, Calif.-based company announced that it was closing 62 stores in eight states. That process is expected to be completed by next month.

The company said it will shutter what it said are low-volume department stores at Factoria Square, Everett Mall, Westfield Southcenter Mall, Tacoma Mall, Vancouver Mall and Everett Mall and stores in Redmond, Lacey, Lynnwood, Olympia, Bellingham, Spokane and Silverdale. Also to be closed are six stores in Oregon and one store in Salt Lake City.

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The Bellingham store will close at the end of March. All other Washington stores are scheduled to operate through next January.

At Mervyns in Lynnwood across from the Alderwood Mall, customers were surprised Monday evening to learn that the store will be closing.

"I'm kind of sad," said Andrea Fullman, a 28-year-old manicurist who used to shop for school clothes with her mother at the Lynnwood store. "I grew up shopping here."

Kim Hayes told her boys -- ages 12, 10 and 8 -- to stop growing when she heard Mervyns likely would close next year. "I have a year to shop."

Browsing for T-shirts in the boys department, Hayes said she goes to Mervyns to find children's clothes that look good, but aren't so expensive she has to worry about their getting dirty.

"In terms of kids' clothes, I'm not going to pay a lot," said Hayes, holding up a T-shirt that read, "Do not disturb. I'm disturbed enough," for her oldest to consider.

Mervyn's employees declined to comment on the impending closure. Susan Green, assistant manager in Lynnwood and a Mervyn's employee for 16 years, said she was not authorized to speak for the company.

A company spokeswoman said 221 full-time and 659 part-time jobs will be lost in Washington; 100 full-time jobs and 383 part-time jobs will be lost in Oregon; and 15 full-time and 38 part-time jobs will be lost in Salt Lake City.

The move will allow Mervyns to concentrate its investments on existing and new store locations in its profitable core markets in the West and Southwest, the company said.

"Exiting the underperforming markets of Oregon and Washington will allow us to make investments that better serve our customers and Mervyns' future," said Vanessa Castagna, executive chairwoman of Mervyns' board. "We are confident that these decisions are right for Mervyns' future growth and success and are consistent with the strategy that we announced in September 2005."